The present invention generally relates to a paper feeding arrangement and more particularly, to a paper supplying device, which is employed for example, in an image recorder such as a telecopier, copying machine or the like, for automatically supplying in turn a plurality of original documents stacked on sheet upon another.
A typical prior art paper supplying device is provided with a pair of cylindrical auxiliary rollers facing pressure rollers which are capable of pressing against the auxiliary rollers, a pair of paper feed rollers held in contact with friction members and a pair of transport rollers, all of which rollers being arranged from the upstream side toward the downstream side with respect to the feeding direction of the original document. A plurality of original documents supplied by way of the auxiliary rollers and the pressure rollers are separated sheet by sheet by the paper feed rollers in combination with the pressure rollers and thereafter each separated paper is fed to a read unit by the transport rollers. Each of the auxiliary rollers, the paper feed rollers and the transport rollers has an axial length longer than the width of the original document so as to supply the original document steadily by decreasing uneven widthwise feeding force.
In the known construction as described so far, however, since the auxiliary rollers are formed cylindrical in shape, the original document is always pressed between the auxiliary rollers and the pressure rollers and accordingly, the paper feed rollers are required to be made larger in size in order to feed the original documents sheet by sheet with certainty. Furthermore, the original documents are subject to being damaged by large tension acting thereon, when being supplied. In addition, since a plurality of the rollers are long, the device itself becomes large in size and as a result, the rollers must be manufactured at a high cost.